lady yotes finish california trip, 5-1 

The College of Idaho picked up a pair of wins on the final day of the Simpson Invitational in Redding, Calif. - finishing their most prolific opening weekend in the 11 year history of the program.

The Lady Yotes (5-1) opened the day with a 10-2 victory over Patten University, then scored a 12-8 victory over Biola, before dropping a tough 3-2 decision to No. 8 ranked Concordia-Irvine.

The five wins to open a season was a new program record.

The early game, the Coyotes jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first on an RBI double by Julia Henrie and an Alexis Macias RBI single.  The C of I led 4-2 - but broke the game wide open with a six-run sixth, as Hannah Johnson, Molly Mills, and Kaitlin Howell each had RBI singles, Kristin Haugen lined a two-run single, and Macias roped an RBI double.

Kayla Park allowed just four hits and two unearned runs for the victory, with Macias and Henrie each had three of C of I's 14 hits.

The C of I squandered an early 5-0 lead against Biola in Game 2, rallying for the win against the Eagles.  RBI singles in the first from Henrie, Macias, Nickayla Skinner, and Kaci Baldwin, along with an RBI double from Kendall Pavey gave the Purple and Gold the early lead.  Biola would rally, as CeCe Luster lined a two-run homer in the third, adding a two-run single in the fourth that gave BU a 6-5 lead. 

Trailing 8-5, the Yotes plated four in the sixth, as Haugen brought home a run with a bases loaded walk, and Macias provided the big blow with a three-run double to give The C of I the lead for good.  Henrie capped the scoring with a two-run homer in the seventh.

Macias got the win, despite allowing eight runs on 10 hits, with Skinner getting the final six outs for the save.  Mills went 4-for-5 and Baldwin 3-for-4 in the victory, as The C of I tied the school record for hits in a game with 16.  Brooke Madrid went 3-for-4 in the loss for the Eagles.

The late game needed extra innings - with Concordia scoring the winning run on a passed ball in the bottom of the ninth inning.

CUI struck first in the opening inning, as Amanda Fama hit a solo home run, but the Yotes got an RBI single from Baldwin and added a run on a Rachael Strong fielders' choice in the second.  Bryana Simpson tied the game in the fourth with a leadoff homer - with the score remaining deadlocked into the extra frames.  The Yotes loaded the bases with no outs in the ninth, but Eagles pitcher Katie Cotta worked out of the jam.  Using the international tiebreaker, an error on a sacrifice bunt attempt put runners on the corners for CUI - with an intentional walk loading the bags, with Alysssa Erickson scampering home on a passed ball to end the game.

Skinner was dominant in the circle, allowing just four hits and fanning 13 batters in seven innings of work.

The Lady Yotes return to action next weekend, traveling to Portland, Ore., for the Northwest Cup.